


blue skies

by RedTailed



Category: Given (Anime), Given (Manga)
Genre: Exploring Sexuality, Friends With Benefits, Gen, Smut, So yeah, and like a really strong platonic bond, and tried really hard, around ppl he's rly comfortable with, bascially, because i headcannon take as bi, but i like the idea of him coming out of his shell, but there isn't anything romantic here, but they do have the sex, for haruki, i feel wierd putting this in gen, i guess you can read this as romantic if you felt like it, i want more fics with that dymanic, sorry if this is a little ooc, they give me platonic soulmates vibes, though its about them meeting and becoming close
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-24
Updated: 2021-02-24
Packaged: 2021-03-14 20:48:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,076
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29673048
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedTailed/pseuds/RedTailed
Summary: Happenstance is a funny thing. Millions of little things happen every day; you make coffee, you go to class, you eat dinner. Any of those mundane things could change your life in an instant. But for Haruki, this person stumbles into his heart without him noticing. It was like the slow creep of the melting snow, until you suddenly wonder how you lived without the sun. Sometimes, when he stares up at his ceiling, he wonders where he’d be if he hadn’t been late for class that one day during his first year at university.
Relationships: Nakayama Haruki & Yatake Kouji, Nakayama Haruki/Yatake Kouji
Kudos: 9





	blue skies

**Author's Note:**

> These two just make me happy okay.

Happenstance is a funny thing. Millions of little things happen every day; you make coffee, you go to class, you eat dinner. Any of those mundane things could change your life in an instant. But for Haruki, this person stumbles into his heart without him noticing. It was like the slow creep of the melting snow, until you suddenly wonder how you lived without the sun. Sometimes, when he stares up at his ceiling, he wonders where he’d be if he hadn’t been late for class that one day during his first year at university.

Haruki curses under his breath as he races down the hallway. With his bass and backpack slung over his back and textbooks in one arm, he arrives at the lecture hall panting. His professor thankfully ignores him as he makes his way to the third row. He tries to make himself as small as possible. Only when he pulls his eyes up from the ground does he realize that someone was sitting in his regular spot.  
“Um.” He muttered, before noticing that the young man was asleep. Haruki sighed as he walked over to drag a chair down from the back of the room. When he got back the student was already awake and putting his glasses back on.  
“Oh, hey.” He muttered quietly as Haruki sat down next to him. “Has he asked for the project to be handed in yet?”  
“I was late so I have no idea, sorry.” Haruki apologizes as he makes himself comfortable in his seat.  
“It’s fine, I’ll ask for both of us after class.” Then he yawned and shook his head a little. “Gah, I didn’t get a lot of sleep last night.” He paused before continuing. “Wait, I’m sorry, I don’t remember the names of anyone in this class, what’s yours again?” He seemed apologetic and slightly embarrassed.  
“It’s okay.” Haruki replied, still trying to keep his voice low as the professor talked. “I’m Nakayama.”  
“I’m Kouji. It’s uh, nice to meet you!”

“Shut up, I’m trying to pay attention!” A mildly annoyed whisper came from behind them, which made Haruki bolt upright and Yatake snicker.

“So, you play bass?” Yatake asked as they walked out of class. He eyed his colourful case and looked back up at him.  
“Yeah, I’m in a band with my girlfriend. Well, it’s still kinda getting put together. We’re looking for a drummer.”  
“Can’t help you with that, I unfortunately play bass too.” Yatake replies.  
“Hey, what do you mean by that?” Haruki asks with feigned hurt.  
“Bass players are hacks, people only play bass if they’re not talented enough for the guitar.” Yatake jokes.  
“I-- I’m really bad at the guitar.” Haruki mumbles sheepishly. “God, I really do fit the stereotype, huh?”  
“Hey, we can’t all be guitar players. Plus, you can always learn the six string bass out of spite.”

After that, Haruki and Yatake’s friendship seemed to grow faster than either of them expected. It turns out they had a lot in common to bond over. For one, they were in the same major, and they both shared a love for old movies. Yatake was particularly into horror and seemed to take joy in terrifying Haruki during movie nights.  
“I don’t understand how you can enjoy this.” Haruki mumbled as he tried to avert his eyes without Yatake noticing. Yatake, who was lounging like a cat on his bed, flashed Haruki a foxy grin.  
“I guess I’m just a bigger man than you.”  
“Shut uuuup.” Haruki retorted as he flung a pillow at him. A loud scream blasted through the crackle of Yatake’s speakers and Haruki turned himself away from the TV screen.  
“If you get to show me all your new wave, artsy shit, you have to at least have to sit through some horror classics.” Yatake complained halfheartedly.  
“This isn’t comparable! There isn’t a single woman that gets skinned in any of my favourite movies!” Haruki complained.  
“If you weren’t such a baby, you’d understand how revolutionary the cinematography was in that film.” Haruki could only roll his eyes at that.

A few hours passed by and the movie had finished. At this point, they were both just laying down and listening to music out of Haruki’s phone. Yatake shared his house with four other roommates, so in the absence of a free living room, they’d often just hang out in his bedroom.  
“Hey Haruki, thanks for saving my ass on that final project.” Yatake’s pipes up over the soft math rock. “Like, thanks for dropping everything to help me out on that shoot.”  
“Don’t worry about it.” Haruki replies. If there was one thing Haruki couldn’t do, it was take a compliment. They made his skin crawl hot with embarrassment.  
“No seriously, thank you. I didn’t know you could act.” Yatake continues before stretching and sitting up.  
“I can’t act, it was just a few lines. Plus, apparently all I had to do was “look hot”.”  
“Hah, don’t let that get to your head, I only rung you because my project partner had a family emergency come up.” Yatake jokes. Haruki can’t help but laugh at that. If there was one thing that Yatake could count on, it was the poor state of his self esteem.  
“It would never.”  
“I mean, it’s not like you’re not cool. You’re kinda nerdy, but in a cute way.” Yatake commented, face stoically thoughtful as if he was describing the weather, or the taste of an expensive wine.  
“You’re nicer to me than my girlfriend.” Haruki sighed as he brought his arm up to his face and hid behind the crook of his elbow.

It’s the summer of their second year when Haruki’s girlfriend breaks up with him. It feels like falling down the stairs, he’d had no idea it was coming. When he shows up at the library to meet Yatake, he tries desperately to pretend that everything’s normal .  
“You look like shit.” Yatake says, frowning. He’s set up with his laptop on his knees and a sprawl of notebooks on the table.  
“Hey Take-chan.” Haruki replies, ignoring the comment as he sits down in the chair across from him. “You wanted me to take a look at the rough cut?”  
“Haruki, what the hell happened.” Yatake asks, folding his arms. Haruki sighs and balls up his fists. He’s not sure he’s ready for this conversation.  
“Aya broke up with me.” Yatake looks stunned for just a second before his expression softens. He takes a deep breath before he speaks again.  
“I’m sorry.”  
Haruki expects him to say more, but Yatake doesn’t seem compelled to. Instead Yatake starts packing up his notebooks into his backpack. It isn’t until he’s standing over him that Haruki looks up. He offers a hand to him, and Haruki grips on a bit too hard when he pulls it to get up.  
“You wanna come back to my place to take your mind off of it? I’ll make you dinner.” Yatake offers.  
“You really don’t have to.” Haruki replies, guilty about the work that he still hasn't done.  
“Think of this as repayment, for that time you helped me move the fridge in.” Yatake replies, but Haruki knows he doesn’t really mean it. He’s just nice like that.  
“Alright, fine then.” Haruki gives in, half because he’s too tired to argue, and half because he doesn’t want to make Yatake upset.

“So, what about your band?” Yatake asks as he’s elbow deep in dishes and sudsy water.  
“I thought maybe we could keep it together, but we’re having trouble finding a new vocalist.” Haruki sighed and leaned back in his chair. “We’re going to talk about disbanding during our next scheduled practice session.  
“Aw, that sucks.”  
“Yeah. Hey, thanks for making me dinner.” Haruki replies, now absently scrolling on his phone.  
“No worries. Listen, it’s going to get better. In a few months, I bet you’ll barely think about her.” Yatake says, still facing the sink. “I’ll keep an ear out for any band that might need a bassist.”  
“God, I hope so.” Haruki replies. He’d never been particularly good at getting over people.

Much to Haruki’s surprise though, he gets over this relationship much easier than all his  
others. Sadly, that might be because he’d fallen hopelessly for someone else soon after. But, for one windblown summer day, he doesn’t let himself think about Akihiko. The day was too bright to waste it on pinning for someone that probably didn’t even like him, he told himself. So that’s how he ended up on the roofdeck of Yatake’s new apartment. It was to take his mind off things, he told himself. After a long day of hauling furniture and boxes under the summer heat, they’d climbed all the way up to watch the sunset.  
“What are you going to do now?” Haruki asks as he relishes in the sudden dip in temperature.  
“Try and find any job I can with this stupid degree.” Yatake replies, and Haruki laughs at his enthusiasm. “I really don’t want to move back home. I mean, I love my parents, but I don’t really want to be a farmer for the rest of my life.”  
“Good luck.” Haruki replies . “I’m still running away from the real world I guess. It’s only two more years though.”  
“Oh that’s right! You got into the graduate program, didn’t you?” Yatake replies, the pride in his voice surprises Haruki.  
“Yeah, I really wasn’t expecting to get in, if I’m honest.” Haruki mumbles.  
“Hey, let’s celebrate then! For my graduation and for your acceptance!”  
“Aha, sure.” Haruki replies with a nervous smile. He’s never sure what to expect when Yataka gets excited like this.

They’re both a little too tipsy when they find their way back to Yatake’s apartment. Yatake convinces him to stay over, saying that his roommate doesn’t move in until next tuesday so he can take the free bed. In reality, he knows that Yatake just wants to spend as much time as possible with him before school and work start.  
“I’m going to have an awful hangover tomorrow.” Haruki mutters as he falls onto Yatake’s bed. Even though he owned his own living room now, not hanging out in his bedroom just didn’t feel right.  
“You’re such a lightweight, I must have drunk twice as much as you.” Yatake replies, also tried and splayed out on the bed beside him.  
“That just means it costs less for me to have a good time.” Haruki retorts, and in his state he can’t help but giggle at his own joke too. “Plus, didn’t that guy buy like, all your drinks?” Yatake sputters and Haruki looks over at him surprised. “Huh?”  
“I mean, I guess so. So what?” Yatake asks with a hint of defensiveness.  
“He probably thought he had a chance with you.” Haruki replies as he jabs Yatake’s side with his finger. Yatake jolts at it, but then huffs and crosses his arms.  
“He definitely thought you were my boyfriend.” Yatake says. A half smile creeps onto his face as he remembers his disappointed face.  
“I mean, is he wrong?”  
“What do you mean by that?!” Yatake replies, indignant.  
“It’s just a joke!” Haruki replies lightly and Yatake shakes his head in disbelief. “Plus, you’re much more important to me than any partner I’ve ever had.”  
“Your sappy side really comes out when you have a bit to drink, huh?” Yatake replies as he closes his eyes. Haruki just hums in response, enjoying the quiet.

“Hey, Haruki?” Yatake asks, his eyes still closed.  
“Yeah, Take-chan?” The sudden reluctance in Yatake’s voice scared Haruki a little.  
“You said you had an ex-boyfriend, right?” He asks. Haruki feels his pulse quicken at the mention of him, but also as to where this conversation might be going.  
“That was back in secondary school, but yeah. What about it?”  
“Um. I don’t know, I guess I just wanted to ask how you uh, how do you know for sure?” Yatake asks, tripping over his words. Haruki freezes, he almost never sees Yatake without his wall of confidence.  
“Know what?” Haruki asks.  
“Know if you like boys.” Yatake’s voice seems to ring in his ears. He’s turned away from him now.  
“Sometimes it just takes time.” Haruki started, unsure about how to tackle the subject. “But I guess I finally figured it out when my crush pinned me to the wall in a fight, and all I wanted was to kiss him.” Haruki burst into laughing at that, mostly out of embarrassment. “Kids are stupid.”  
“Um, Haruki.” Yatake turned around and Haruki was surprised at how flushed red he was. “Could I just-- can I try something. With you.”  
“We’re both a little drunk, are you sure?” Haruki asks, quirking up one eyebrow. Despite himself, he feels a blush creep up on his face.  
“I’m sorry, oh god, sorry for asking, that was stupid!” Yatake replies, burying his face in his covers. Haruki laughs a little to himself before leaning over.  
“I never said no.”  
“Oh.” His voice comes out muffled and breathless. Haruki gently takes his shoulder and rolls him over.  
“Can I?” He asks, leaning over him. his hair was probably tickling Yatake’s face, but he didn’t seem to mind. Yatake just nods lightly, eyes wide.

It was nothing overly exciting, just a timid, quiet kiss. It’s soft around the edges. To be honest, it was the kind of kiss teenagers share, fluttery chests, flushed faces, and all. But, he had to admit there was something else to it too. Maybe it was the lack of a strangling crush, maybe it was because he was kissing his best friend, but whatever it was, it was heavy in his chest. When they broke apart, Yatake looked up at him breathlessly. He could almost see the sparks coming off him.  
“Take-chan, you know, you’re kind of cute like this.” Haruki replies. Yatake stutters, but eventually he gets out his words.  
“When the hell did you get so confident?!” Yatake says it less like a question and more like an accusation. Haruki can’t help but snicker at that. “Where is this attitude around Kaji, huh?”  
“Whaaaat??? Me and Akihiko? No, I mean, you don’t think that--”  
“Haru.”  
“You noticed?” Haruki asks, finally back to his flustered self.  
“You’re too oblivious for your own good.” Yatake replies. “If you weren’t so obvious about your crushes I wouldn't have asked. You’re too chill around me to possibly have feelings.”  
“What about this then?” Haruki asks. “Your feelings about me, I mean.”  
“You’re pretty as hell.” Yatake replies, which makes Haruki’s brain short circuit. “But I’ve never had a crush on you. I just realized one day that you were really, really attractive.”  
“Oh. I guess I’m kinda flattered.”  
Yatake just hums at that. Then, suddenly, he seems to revert back to his laid back and confident self. “Hey, I don’t mind taking this a few steps further if you don’t either. Just for fun. I want to try it out.”  
“Just as bros?” Haruki asks, and Yatake giggles at that. “As long as you’re telling the truth about your feelings, I don’t mind.”  
“I wouldn’t lie to you.” Yatake promises with a surprising amount of sincerity as he rolls him over. He’s on top of Haruki now, and Haruki smirks up at him.  
“You always have something to prove, huh?” Haruki teases.  
“Shut up.” Yatake replies before kissing him again, this time it comes with a little more bite.

Yatake straddles his hips, and Haruki can tell he’s still a bit nervous as he puts a hand under his shirt. His hot palm pressing into his abdomen seems to pull an embarrassing noise out of his lips, but Haruki tries not to be too embarrassed about it.  
“Take it off for me?” Haruki asks, and Yatake just nods. He studies the folds and creases before he gathers his shirt up. Haruki lifts his arms to help him. When he gets it off, Yatake throws it into the corner of the room. “It was getting a little too warm in here.” Haruki whispered as Yatake leaned in, and giggled when Yatake’s eyes widened.  
“How are you like this in bed when you can’t even say excuse me to buskers on the street.” Yatake asks, pressing a kiss into Haruki’s neck.  
“It’s not usually like this.” Haruki admits, his hand finding his way up the back of Yatake’s shirt. “I just feel safe around you.” Yatake doesn’t seem to have a response to that, so instead he presses his lips to his again. As they kiss, he can feel the bulge in his friend's jeans against his stomach. The ache is almost dizzying.  
“Can I?” Haruki asks as they break apart with a hand on Yatake’s thigh.  
“My um.” Yatake replies, blushing again. “Yeah, go ahead.” He says this with his head down.  
“Tell me to stop if you need it, alright?” Haruki asked, knowing full well how overwhelming his first time with a guy had been.

The rest of the night feels like a blur. It full of way more banter than there should be during sex, and definitely way more laughing. He remembers taking Yatake in his mouth and giggling when he comes way too fast. He remembers sticky hands on his chest and sloppy kisses down his naval, along with him coming in Yatake’s hand. He doesn’t remember the shower, but he does remember wet hair and a warm body beside him as he falls asleep. Maybe it’s the alcohol, but what he actually recalls the most vividly are the feelings. His attraction that felt like there was a magnet in his chest, the protectiveness when Yatake revealed his vulnerable side. But most of all, he felt that heavy, warm, happy feeling that he noted earlier that night. It wasn’t until he’d woken up in the morning and watched Yatake sit up and smile at him did he realize what it was.  
It’s love. And it was almost suffocating when he realized it. He wanted to tell him that before he left. That Yatake was his favourite person, that he didn’t know where he’d be without him, and that he didn’t believe in the concept of best friends until they’d met. But instead he just hugs him, and Yatake doesn’t seem to mind when he squeezes all the air out of his lungs.

**Author's Note:**

> they never gave me romantic vibes, but someone sent me a haruki/take smut fic and i was like, wait, this sounds fun 
> 
> so here you go lmaooo. i dunno how common feeling sexual attraction without the romantic shit is, but i get it from time to time so??? i assume someone out there gets me.
> 
> i always seem to be apologizing for my non nonsensical, amateur writing, but here i am again. sorrryyyyyyyyyy. adhd brain, need to work on revising and not writing long ass shit in one sitting.


End file.
